Coupling-centering mechanism



AQJSE 4 SHEETS-SHEET FILED MAY 17` 1921 GEORGE JR CouPLlNG CENTr-:m Ns MscHANlsM.

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Alfil* A @esta 26, i922.

E. GEORGE. JR. CouPLl NG CENTER NG MECH/N q 5M.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2 FILED MAY 17,1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3 Ey GEORGE, JR. CoUPL r Ns CENTER l Nc MEcHAN l sM F1 LED MAY I7 l 921 Dec. 26, 1922.

COUPLING CSNTERING MECHANISM Fuso MAY 17.1921l 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4 Patented Dec. 26, `1922.

UMTED STATES 'PATENT' OFFICE.

ENoc'H GEORGE, JR., or PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, AssIGNoR To v'rma iifoooNwAY & TORLEY COMPANY, 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF vPENN- v SYLVANIA.

Application tiled May 17,

To all 'whom 'it may concern: l s

Be it known that I, ENOCH GEORGE Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coucentering device embodying the invention, the laterally swmglng car coupler associated" pling-,Centerin Mechanism; and I do hereby. declare the fol owing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Myinvention relates to a coupler centering ,device y,for yieldingly maintaining a vlaterally swinging car coupler in normal of the coupler.

positionin the longitudinalaxis of the car.

'As willrhereinafter appear, Acertain s t'ructural,y features of the invention enable it to be also advantageously employed for effecting a lateral shifting of the train-pipes of a railway car so as to prevent them from being injured by the lateral swinging movements The primary object of the invention is to produce a coupler centering device consisting of a few compactly arranged and simple parts which cooperate to effect the efficient centering of a car coupler mounted upon-a railway car with capability of swinging laterally.

A principal feature of the invention involves the employment of a carry iron having a transversely extending recess within which a plurality of tandem arranged springs and corresponding pairs of followers are disposed, and in com-binin therewith a coupler saddle which is slidabl mounted upon the carry iron and has a portion extending intol the said recess, one of the followers of each pair being normally in engagement with and 'being adapted to be ac` tuated by the portion of the saddle which extends into the recess of the carry-iron and one of the followers of each'pair having a lost motion connection with the said saddle.

Another feature of the invention consists in so constructing the mechanism that the tandem arranged and operating springs may serve not only to centralize the coupler, but

.also to shift the train pipes of the car latercoUPLING-CENTERING MECHANIsiu.

whereofis pointed out in the claims Figure 1-1s a front elevation of a coupler `the c ar coupler swings from side to therewith being shown in section;

, Figure 2 is a view, partly in plan and partly in horizontal section, of the mechanism shown in Fig. l, parts ofthe carcoupler being. broken away. n

v Figure 3 is` a sectional view on the line FF 4 is a sectionalview on the line L12- 4,-

`igure 5 is a detail plan view of the cou-l pler saddle.

Figure 6 is a detail front elevation ofthe coupler saddle.

Figure 7 is a detail side elevation of the y coupler saddle.

Figure 8 is a View partly in end elevation and .partly in section of a coupler centering device embodying the invention, the laterally swinging coupler associated therewith being shown in section. .l

Figure 9 is a section on the line 9-9, Fig. 8. l y

`igure 10 is a section on the line 10-10, Fig.`9. V

Figures 1l, 12 and 13 are, respectively, a detail 'plan View, a detail front elevation and a detail side elevation of the form of coupler saddle `employed in the modified construction shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 10.

Figure 14 is a detail plan View of one of the follower devices embodied in the modified form of my invention.

Figure 15 is a detail elevation vof another follower device embodied in the modified 'form of construction.

In the drawings, 1 indicates thestem of a laterally swinging car coupler which may be pivotally connected to the draft riggingv Rigidly mounted upon the railway car 1n any convenient manner' as. for example, by being secured to the center sills or draft sills of the car, is a carry iron 3 which 1s preferably formed as an integral casting having an upwardly opening transversely extending recess 4 therein. At its center the carry iron is provided with shoulders or abutments 5 which project into the recess 4 to form stops for cooperating with the re spectively adjacent followers 6 within the recess.

Loc-ated within the recess of the carry iron and normally bearing against stops or abutments 7 at the outer ends thereof are followers 8, the said followers 6 and 8 being arranged in pairs and each pair of followers being adapted to compress an interposed one of the tandem arranged springs 9 which are disposed within the recess of the carry iron on opposite sides of the coupler and preferably in axial alinement with each other.

Each of the outer followers 8 is provided with an extension 1() which may be conveniently formed as a hollow cylinder perforated at its inner end for the passage of the stem portion of a bolt 1l.' These bolts, whose heads are capable of movingback and forth within the extensions 10 of the followers 8, afford means for effecting a lost motion connection between the followers 8 and the coupler saddle 12 which is somounted upon the carry iron as to be. moved transversely of the car when the coupler is displaced laterall i 'fhe coupler saddle 12 movably supported on the carry iron is pro'vided witha downwardly projecting portion 13 which extends into vthe recess 4 between the inner followers 6. This projection 13 is, as shown, preferably hollow and its endwalls 14 which normally engage the followers 6 are preferably provided with downwardly opening slots 15 to permit the passage of the body portions of the respective bolts 11. Thesey bolts, 'which are slidable with respect to the followers 6 through which they pass, areoperatively connected at their inner ends to the coupler saddle 12 by means of nuts 16 normally bearing against the respective inner faces of the end walls of the projection 13 of the saddle. l

To cause it to slide transversely on the carry iron when the Acoupler 1 is displaced laterally in either direction from itsv normal position, the coupler saddle 12 is preferably fashioned with a pair of spaced upwardly extending arms or lugs 17 between which the shank of the coupler passes and which are adapted to be engaged by the latter. As shown, these arms 17may be beveled or made of convex form upon their inner sides so as to allow the coupler 1 to angle with respect to the saddle as said coupler performs its laterally swinging movements. This prevents any substantial binding of the coupler saddle upon the carry iron 3 during the transverse movements of the saddle. The coupler engaging arms 17 may be integrally united tothe plate-like portion 18 of the saddle which rests upon the carry iron and engages the under surface of tlieshank of the coupler 1. I A mechanism constructed in accordance with my invention not only efficiently centers the car coupler but affords sufficient spring Acapacity to provide for the return to normal position of the train pipes' with which the railway car is equipped after they have been shifted laterally to avoid interference with the car coupler during the swinging movements of the latter. To this end the coupler saddle l2 is preferably provided with train pipe carriers or clamping means 19 and 20, respectively, which may be connected to the coupler saddle by means of suitable brackets 21 and 22 integrally united to the respective coupler engaging arms or lugs 17 0f the cou pler saddle.

The pipe carrier or clamping device 19 embraces the steam pipe 23 while the clamping device 20 embraces the air pipe 24 and the signal pipe 25. These 4train pipes while free at their outer ends are secured to the fraining ofthe car rearwardly of the coupler in a well known manner.

In assembling the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 7, inclusive, the springs 9, their followers and 8, and the bolts 11 are properly associated with eac-h other and the nuts 16fare then applied to the bolts. These parts are rthen Vplaced in position in the recess 4 of the carry iron and the coupler saddle is ,finally put 1n place, the slotted end walls 14 of its downwardly projecting portion 13 being forced between the followers 6 and the adjacent nuts 16. The train pipes may then be assembled within the clamps 19 and 20 carried by the coupler saddle-12.

When the coupler 1 is displaced laterally in either direction from its normal position the coupler saddle- 12 and the train pipe clamps connected thereto are shifted transversely ofthe car. Such a movement of the coupler saddle causes the simultaneous A compression of the springs 9 in the followfollowers thus compressed. During this movement of the said follower the other follower 6 remains seated upon its stop shoulders 5, but the follower 8 which is 'associated with the last named follower 6 iscaused to move with the coupler saddle through the instrumentality of the connecting bolt 11, thus being caused to approach the character of followers which are employed. The coupler 1, the coupler engaging arms 17 of the coupler saddle, the brackets 21 and 22 and the train pipe carriers or clamping devices 19 and 20 may beof the same forms as those shown in the principalV figures of the drawings andacc'ordingly corresponding reference numerals have been applied thereto. With the exception that thecarry iron 27 is unprovided with the inwardly projecting stops 5, it also is similar to the carry iron 3 and is designed to be mounted upon the car in the same manner.

The tandem arranged and operating springs 28 which are disposed within the transversely extending recess 29 of the carry iron 27 are adapted to be simultaneously compressed by. means of corresponding pairs of followers 30, 31 and 32, when the coupler moves in either direction from its normal position. The followers 30 and 32 normally bear respectively against stops or abutments 7 with which the carry iron 27 is provided adjacent its outer ends.

The follower 30 is provided with an extension 34 having at its inner end a pair of spaced arms 35 which lie upon opposite sides of the adjacent spring 28 and between which the follower 3l is adapted to reciprocate. At its outer end each of the arms 35 terminates in a lug or shoulder 36, the said lugs being normally engaged by corresponding downwardly projecting flanges 37 with which the coupler saddle 26 is provided. 'Phe arms 35 connected to the follower 30 are adapted to slide back and forth between the flanges 37 of the ycoupler saddle, motion connection between the follower 30.

The follower 31,' which cooperates with the follower 30 in the compression of the interposed spring 28, is rigidly united to the follower 32, preferably through the instrumentality of a pair of bars 38 which may integrally unite' them. The bars 38 extend said saddle and toward the coupler saddle 26 and each of them may be provided with a slot 39 which follower 32. These slots fand is slidable 33, respectively,l

follower 3 thus forming a lost' extends from the follower 31 toward the are adapted to receive a downwardly extending projection or lug 40 formed upon the coupler saddle and slidable back and forth in said slots. The follower 32 is by this means connected tothe coupler saddle 26 by a lost motion connectlo'fn.

The follower 33 which cooperates with the follower 32 in effecting a compression of the interposed spring 28 is preferably'formed as a-rectangular plate interposed between thedownwardlyI extending lug 40 of the couplersaddle and the adjacent spring 28 with respect to the follower 32 between the arms or bars 38 connected to and extending inwardly from the latter.

vention the springs 28 .and the follower devlces 30, 31, 32 and 33 are brought into assembled relation and inserted within the recess 29 ofthe carry iron, after which the coupler saddle 26 is put in place..

When the coupler is displaced laterally from its normal position the coupler saddle 26 and associated train -plpe clamping de-' vices 19 and 20 are correspondingly displaoed and the springs 28 are simultaneously compressed. If the lateral displacement of the couplenis in one direction the down- -wardly projecting lugs 37 of the coupler saddle press aga-inst the lugs 36 and cause the follower 33 to move toward the follower 32, thus compressing the interposed spring,"

and at the same time moving the follower 3,() toward the follower 31. f' As the follower 31 is prevented from retreating because it is rigidly connected through the arms or bars 38 with the follower 32 which is seated upon the neighboring abutment 7, the spring interposed between the moving follower 30q and the stationary follower 31 is compressed. If the displacement of the coupler 1 is inthe opposite direction from normal position the lug 40 upon the coupler vsaddle forces the follower 3l' toward the follower 30, thus compressing the interposed spring 28. As the followerl is rigidly connected to the through the bars or extensions 38 the last named follower is caused to. approach the follower 33, the latter being prevented from retreating by engaging the irnner ends of the arms 35 of theextension of the follower 30. The spring 28 which is interposed between the Afollowers 32 and 33 is v'therefore compressed. Upon the expansion of the springs In assembling the modified form of my in-V plurality of tandem '4 for shifting the train pipesof the car upon which said coupler is mounted, said means having a coupler Saddle slidably mounted on said f recess of the carry-iron.

transversely' extending recess, a

carry-iron and adapted to be moved transversely of the car by said coupler and having a portion extending into said recess, a arranged springs within said recess, a plurality of followers arranged in pairs and extending into-said recessaand slidable with respect to said carry-iron, each pair of said followers being adapted to compressan inte one of said springs, one of the fol-lowers of each pair being normally in engagement with and adapted to be actuated by the said portion of the coupler saddle extending into said'recess, and the other follower of each pair having a projection extendingy toward said coupler saddle, and bolts sli'dably connecting the respective projections of the said followers to the por-v tion -of the saddle which extends into said i. 2. ln mechanism of the character indicated, the. combination with a laterally swinging car coupler, of means for yieldingly resisting lateral displacement thereof in either direction from normalposition and ally the train pipes of the car upon which said coupler is mounted, said means nvolving a coupler saddle slidably mounted on said carry-iron and adapted to be shifted transversely of the car by said coupler, train pipe clamping means arranged on opposite sides of said coupler and connected to said saddle, and a plurality of tandem arranged springs which are mountedon said carryiron and are adapted to be simultaneously compressed by a lateral movement of said saddle in either direction from normal p0- sition.

4. In mechanism of the character indi.

cated, the combination with a lateral'lyswingingcar coupler, of`trai'n pipe shifting means actuated by said coupler7 said means involving a device movable laterally ii said coupler and adapted toyengage and e ect a lateral shifting of the train pipe, and a plurality of' tandem arrangedsprings disposed on opposite sides of said coupler and adapted to be simultaneously energized upon a lateral movement of saidcoupler in either direction from normal position.

5. In mechanism of the character indicated, the combination with a laterally swinging car coupler, of a carry-iron, and means for yieldingly resisting lateral displacement of said coupler in either direction from normal position and for shifting laterally the train pipe of the car upon which said coupler is mounted, said means involving a coupler said carry-iron and adapted to be shifted transversely of the car by said coupler,- a plurality of tandem arranged springs mounted on said carry-'iron and adapted to be simuitaneously compressed by a lateral movement of said saddle in either direction from normal position, and train pipe clamping means disposed on opposite sides of said coupler above said springs .andconnected to said saddle. i

ln testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

ENOCH GEORGE, JR.

saddle slidably mounted on 

